Sail with confidence
FROM HEALTH AND WELLBEING TO CHOOSING A CRUISE THAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU, OUR EXPERT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS...
SINCE CRUISE LINES RESUMED OPERATIONS, NEARLY FOUR MILLION GUESTS HAVE ENJOYED A CRUISE HOLIDAY ACROSS THE WORLD. WE ASKED Andy Harmer, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CRUISE LINES INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION (CLIA) UK & IRELAND, FOR SOME INSIDE ADVICE.
Q I’m worried about Covid. Can you reassure me cruise companies are taking all the necessary precautions?
A CRUISE SAILINGS WERE ABLE TO RESTART LAST YEAR THANKS TO AN EXTENSIVE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CRUISE INDUSTRY ITSELF, THE GOVERNMENT, HEALTH AUTHORITIES AND PORTS. HEALTH MEASURES BOTH ON AND
OFF CRUISE SHIPS NOW GO BEYOND ANY OTHER TRAVEL SECTOR. FOR INSTANCE, OUR CRUISE LINE MEMBERS HAVE AGREED TO 100 PER CENT TESTING OF PASSENGERS AND CREW, WITH A REQUIREMENT FOR A NEGATIVE TEST, PRIOR TO BOARDING. THE CRUISE INDUSTRY WAS THE FIRST IN THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM SECTOR TO COMMIT TO THIS LEVEL OF TESTING WORLDWIDE.
DURING DOMESTIC CRUISES, ALL OF
THE CRUISE LINES MUST APPLY SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES, WHICH ARE CONSISTENT WITH SHORESIDE HEALTH AUTHORITY REQUIREMENTS. MORE GENERALLY, GUESTS ARE REQUIRED TO ADHERE TO THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING DIRECTIONS OF THE SHIP THEY ARE ON, WHICH WILL INCLUDE MEASURES SUCH AS WEARING FACE COVERINGS IN SOME AREAS.
Q I dislike flying. Can I sail from a UK port?
A HUNDREDS OF CRUISES DEPART FROM THE UK EVERY YEAR, AND SAIL TO A NUMBER OF DESTINATIONS. THESE INCLUDE AROUND BRITAIN, THE MEDITERRANEAN, NORTHERN EUROPE, THE BALTIC, NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN.
Q How can I choose a cruise for my age group?
A CRUISES APPEAL TO A WIDE RANGE OF PEOPLE AND FAMILY GROUPS, WITH THE AVERAGE AGE OF A CRUISE HOLIDAYMAKER CONTINUING TO DROP YEAR ON YEAR. MORE THAN 30 PER CENT OF PASSENGERS SAIL WITH CHILDREN, AND NEARLY ALL LINES PROVIDE SUPERVISED ACTIVITIES FOR UNDER-18S, ESPECIALLY DURING SCHOOL HOLIDAYS. CRUISING IS ALSO IDEAL FOR PEOPLE ON THEIR OWN, BECAUSE IT’S SO EASY TO MEET OTHER SOLO TRAVELLERS. SOME SHIPS HAVE SINGLE CABINS AND OTHERS OFFER RATES DESIGNED FOR SINGLE TRAVEL. MANY TRAVEL AGENTS HOST GROUPS FOR SINGLES AND MAY EVEN FIND YOU A CABIN MATE SO YOU CAN OBTAIN THE PER PERSON/DOUBLE OCCUPANCY RATE.
Q Do I get to spend much time on shore visiting the sights?
A CRUISE LINES ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE SHORE EXCURSIONS MORE UNIQUE, IMMERSIVE AND MEMORABLE THAN EVER BEFORE. THE RESULT IS AN EVER-EXPANDING VARIETY OF EXCLUSIVE ACTIVITIES THAT RANGE FROM A FEW HOURS TO SEVERAL DAYS IN SOME OF THE MOST FAMOUS, BEAUTIFUL OR EXTRAORDINARY PLACES ON EARTH.
Q Will I have to share a dinner table with strangers?
A INCREASINGLY, THE SHIPBOARD DINING EXPERIENCE HAS BECOME MORE CASUAL AND OFTEN THERE IS OPEN SEATING. THIS ALLOWS YOU TO DINE WHEN, WHERE AND WITH WHOM YOU WISH. SOME CRUISERS PREFER SITTING AT A TABLE WITH OTHER DINERS, AS LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS HAVE BEEN MADE THIS WAY.
Q Aren’t cruise ships bad for the environment?
A CRUISE LINES ARE AT THE FOREFRONT IN DEVELOPING RESPONSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES AND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES THAT BENEFIT THE ENTIRE MARITIME INDUSTRY. THE COMPANIES CAREFULLY FOLLOW WASTE MANAGEMENT AND RECYCLING PRACTICES TO PREVENT WASTE IN OCEANS. SOME CRUISE SHIPS REPURPOSE 100 PER CENT OF THEIR WASTE – BY REDUCING, REUSING, DONATING, RECYCLING AND CONVERTING IT INTO ENERGY.
MORE THAN THREE-QUARTERS OF THE GLOBAL CRUISE FLEET IS NOW EQUIPPED TO USE ALTERNATIVE FUELS. CLIA HAS JOINED OTHER MARITIME ORGANISATIONS TO PROPOSE A $5 BILLION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT GREEN MARITIME INNOVATION FUND.
THE NUMBER OF SHIPS ABLE TO USE SHORESIDE ELECTRICITY – AND THUS REDUCE EMISSIONS WHILE IN PORT – HAS ALSO RISEN TO 35 PER CENT OF GLOBAL CAPACITY, WITH ANOTHER 22 PER CENT SET TO BE RETROFITTED WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY. OVERALL, CLIA MEMBER CRUISE LINES HAVE COMMITTED TO A 40 PER CENT REDUCTION IN THE RATE OF CARBON EMISSIONS ACROSS THE GLOBAL FLEET BY 2030 COMPARED TO 2008.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE CRUISING.ORG.